ALBUM REVIEW: New Mistakes by Terra Lightfoot

From the opening stomp of “Paradise”, it’s clear that Terra Lightfoot is more than ready to meet the heightened expectations set by 2015’s Every Time My Mind Runs Wild.New Mistakes is the Hamilton singer-songwriter’s third full-length album, and it’s her biggest sounding record yet. Oscillating between plaintive rock n’ roll and bluesy roots rock, New Mistakes is the sound of an artist making her most accessible and enjoyable record yet.

Backed by Maury LaFoy (bass), Joel Haynes (drums) and Jeff Heisholt (keys) and produced by Gus van Go and Werner F (Wintersleep, Arkells), Lightfoot appears to be perfectly at home whether she’s fingerpicking away during a heartfelt ballad (“You Get High”) or belting her heart out on the rollicking, bluesy stomp of “Paradise”. On the soulful, gospel-tinged, Bruce Springsteen-esque “Hold You”, there is a really cool sax solo from Jake Clemons (of the E street band). Her guitar chops are as present as ever on New Mistakes, whether it’s on the meaty riffs of the 70s classic rock inspired “Stars over Dakota”, or on the thundering blues of “Slick Back Kid”. It’s not all high-octane rock and roll, with the tender “You Get High” and the sparse, haunting ballad about a 1970s Canadian country singer Norma Gale, chronicling her attempts to make it on the road with a young son (“Norma Gale”).

It’s also worth mentioning that her vocals on the chorus of “Ruthless” are positively stellar, making it one of my favorite tracks on the record – alongside “Pinball King”, a song that evokes the crackling energy of young love. If you haven’t been converted to Terra Lightfoot yet, pick this album up – you certainly won’t be disappointed.

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Lisa is a culture professional who has many strong opinions about music, which she also likes to share on Twitter (@LisaFiorilli) and on Ride The Tempo. Besides an undying love of CanCon, she also has a soft spot for sad guitar music and a good pop hook.